[ISN] VeriSign buys security researcher iDefense for $40 million

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2005/071405-verisign-idefense.html

By Robert McMillan
IDG News Service
07/14/05

Looking to flesh out its line of managed security services products,
VeriSign has snapped up network security researcher iDefense. The $40
million cash acquisition was completed Wednesday, according to
VeriSign.

IDefense,in Reston, Va., provides early warning assessment of Internet
security threats to a fairly select group of government and very large
enterprise clients, said Chris Babel, vice president of Managed
Security Services at VeriSign.

By acquiring the company, VeriSign hopes to be able to market the
iDefense research products to a wider audience, while at the same time
using data from VeriSign's security monitoring operations to bolster
the iDefense research, he said.

The 45-person research company will retain the iDefense name, but will
operate as a division within Babel's group, he said. VeriSign, in
Mountain View, Calif., has no plans to move the iDefense team from
their present location, he said.

VeriSign's managed security services business provides managed
firewalls, intrusion detection and vulnerability alerting under the
VeriSign Managed Security Services brand.

Last year, VeriSign strengthened its position in this market by
spending $135 million to acquire Guardent , a security services
provider in Waltham, Mass. That acquisition was completed in February
2004.



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